In this July 13, 2021 photo, which was taken from social media, the Bootleg Fire is raging in central Oregon. It can be seen in Klamath County. via ReutersThe United States and Europe have seen improvements in air quality over the past decade due to more stringent environmental regulations. However, intensifying wildfires pose new concerns about air pollution. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there had been 107 active large fires in 15 states that had burned more that 2.2 million acres so far this year. Wildfires are raging in Europe amid record heat waves. People are increasingly turning to mobile apps to find out when the air quality is good or bad, no matter where they might be. These apps combine data from both government-operated satellites or weather, fire, and ambient air quality stations with sensors and systems operated by private sector entities. Many of these apps can be crowdsourced using relatively inexpensive air quality sensors from companies like PurpleAir or IQAir.Apps for air qualityJonathan Briskman, senior mobile insight analyst at Sensor Tower, said that the top-rated apps in outdoor air quality monitoring in the U.S. from January 2020 to July 2021 were: AirCare and AirVisual. These ratings are based on ratings received via the App Store and Google Play.AirCare shows you the location of pollen, active fires and wind conditions. CNBCThese apps are what AirCare does: AirCare is a service developed in Northern Macedonia and available for iOS and Android mobile devices including iPhones, iPads and Apple Watch, as well as Huawei smartphones. There are three tiers: a free version, a 99c ad-supported version and a premium version that costs $14.99 for an annual subscription. The app provides kid-friendly information on air pollution, charts, and maps. These include data derived from stations and sensors run by the government, as well as data gathered from volunteers using PurpleAir and other sensors across Australia, Europe, and the U.S. The app can also track pollen and ultra-violet levels in major metropolitan areas. AirVisual is a Swiss air quality company IQAir. It tracks pollution in more than 10,000 cities, and 80 countries, using data from tens to thousands of sensors, some positioned at U.S. embassies abroad. A free app for Android and iOS is also available. IQAir's AirVisual mobile website and AirVisual provide real-time maps showing six types of major pollutants. They also offer weather forecasts and seven-day air quality updates. These apps can be paired with company sensors, such as the AirVisual Pro portable sensor that costs $269. South Coast AQMD is a free, ad-free app that tracks pollution in Orange County, Los Angeles and Riverside. It provides real-time forecasted and current weather data, as well as maps showing where drivers can find non-traditional fueling points or places to charge their electric cars. The app also contains information about upcoming events and hearings on air quality issues. This encourages community participation. You can download the app in English or Spanish for both Android and Apple devices.The South Coast AQMD app displays air pollution levels in Greater Los Angeles. CNBCSensor Tower ranked the five most downloaded apps for air quality in the U.S. based on their installs since 2020. They included AirVisual (from IQ Air), and Air Care. Also, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency app AirNow. Breezometer, a venture-backed startup, has an app that displays data about air quality, pollen, active fire, and Oregon Air, which was developed for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. These apps are frequently used and new installations are often driven through regional events. According to the NIFC, there were 16 active fires that had been raging through Oregon as of August 8, 2021.How does air pollution impact healthYanelli Nunez, a postdoctoral researcher scientist at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, said that air quality monitoring and measurement is crucial for public health. It has been shown in numerous studies that air pollution can cause lung cancer, chronic obstructive and severe respiratory disease, as well as lower respiratory infections. This could also impact mortality, pregnancies, and cardiovascular disease. Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou and Nunez work in an environmental health science laboratory. Their research also showed that long-term air pollution exposure can have a negative impact on the nervous system, affecting functions like memory and cognitive abilities. CNBC received an email from the scientists stating that Americans who live in areas with poor air quality tend to be low-income or people of color. These issues are now being addressed more often, which should lead to changes. Air pollution is changing. One example is that greenhouse gas emissions from transportation decreased in New York City between 2014 and 2017, while commercial cooking emissions increased. Scientists wrote that increased wildfires could have an impact on our health. Therefore, we need to understand the source-specific effects of these new sources.Indoor air matters, too
